After Hawaii, Majuro. The Taiwanese president visited the capital of the Marshall Islands on Tuesday, where he was welcomed by his counterpart Hilda Heine. “Taiwan and the Marshall Islands share a common Austronesian culture as well as values of freedom and democracy”he declared as soon as he got off the plane. For her part, the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands indicated that her country “will remain a staunch ally and continue to voice and support Taiwan’s inclusion in the United Nations and all other regional and international organizations.”
Mr. Lai had previously made a two-day stopover in the US state of Hawaii, from where he spoke by telephone with former Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi about “Chinese military threats” towards Taiwan. He also met with government officials and members of the United States Congress.
China considers that Taiwan is one of its provinces, which it has not yet succeeded in reunifying with the rest of its territory since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. It does not exclude the use of strength to achieve this. Beijing, which opposes any official contact between Taipei and foreign countries, has “firmly” condemned Lai Ching-te’s tour, ordering the United States to “stop meddling with Taiwan”.
China reaffirmed Tuesday that it wanted to defend its “national sovereignty” concerning this territory. “The Taiwan question is at the heart of China’s primary interests”Chinese diplomatic spokesperson Lin Jian told the press, when asked whether Beijing was likely to launch new military maneuvers around the island in response to Mr. Lai’s tour.
“Preferential loan”
The Marshall Islands are one of three Taiwan allies in the Pacific among the last 12 countries to recognize Taipei across the world. Some former supporters have switched to Beijing’s side, particularly after promises of aid and investment.
In a speech to the Marshall Islands Parliament, Lai Ching-te announced that Taiwan would grant a “preferential loan” to the national airline Air Marshall Islands to enable it to purchase new aircraft. Taipei will also contribute to the construction of a pig slaughterhouse in 2025 to strengthen “food security” of the Marshall Islands, said the Taiwanese president.
He thanked the President of the Marshall Islands for“personally speaking out in defense of Taiwan this year at the Pacific Islands Forum, the UN General Assembly and COP 29.” He must then visit his two other regional supporters, Tuvalu and Palau. In addition, the president must stop for a night on the island of Guam, an unincorporated territory of the United States.
Although Washington has recognized Beijing to the detriment of Taipei since 1979, it remains Taiwan’s most powerful ally and its main donor and arms supplier.
Beijing has expressed its “firm opposition” et “deplored” Washington’s approval of a new arms sale project to Taipei, worth 385 million dollars (364 million euros).
China accuses Mr. Lai, like his predecessor Tsai Ing-wen, of wanting to deepen cultural separation with the continent, denouncing actions “separatists“.
